Ukrainian model wounded in war graces Playboy cover, defies aggression

Iryna Bilotserkovets, a model, TV presenter, and the wife of a Ukrainian politician, lost an eye just three days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Her husband serves as an advisor to Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv.

Their family was targeted by Russian forces, leading to an attack on the car where she was with three children. She recalls little about the incident, but vividly remembers how she felt upon waking up in the hospital after the emergency surgery.

"I was missing an eye, tubes were sticking out everywhere, my hair was shaved off after the surgery. Stitches, scars, wounds everywhere. I felt like a Frankensteinesque figure. My jaw had fractured like a twig," Irina shared with Playboy about her harrowing experience.

Recently, photos of the model graced the cover of the Ukrainian edition of Playboy, featuring Iryna with metal elements — an eye patch and a bikini. Her recovery, however, was far from straightforward.

After the attack in February 2022, she underwent four surgeries. She lost an eye, suffered a fractured jaw, and incurred healing cuts all over her body.

"It wasn't about preserving my beauty, but about whether I would survive or not. Doctors in Ukraine feared for my life. I did not accept that, neither did my husband," she explained in an interview with Playboy.

Iryna was transported to a hospital in Berlin for reconstructive surgery on parts of her face and underwent months of rehabilitation. She has already made a return to her modeling career, posing with part of her face hidden by her long blonde hair. In the Playboy shoot, she posed confidently.

The model does her utmost to support her country in the fight against the Russian aggressor. Recently, she has been distributing Playboys featuring her on the cover to Ukrainian soldiers in the trenches. She also regularly gives interviews denouncing the Russian dictator.

"People are going crazy. Leaders of other countries are shaking hands with Putin, forgetting he is a murderer who has been waging war for years. He has crossed all permissible boundaries," she stated in an interview for The Sun magazine.